Even on a day like today...

Abigail is here.  The first UK low pressure disturbance to be named by the Met Office.  The weather over the last two days has varied between ambiguous and weird.  On Thursday night we sat in the office and listened to the wind turn the air conditioning backwards and the rain lash against the windows.

This morning dawned fine.

I set off for a run up one valley and back down the other.  This is usually a 16 mile run for me when I am doing Ironman training but today I knew it wouldn't be that far.  I hoped it would be that far but I know I am not running that well yet and I am saving myself mostly for the Yorkshire cyclo-cross tomorrow.

I had a beautiful run along the Loxley valley, feeling more motivated than usual and happy to be treading new steps.  One small altercation with some fishermen at the pond (if you don't want people to step over your stupid expensive carbon fibre pole then don't leave it across the footpath) put me in a bit of a grumpy mood but I carried on and was soon focused back on the autumn leaves, wildlife and saying hello to joggers and dog walkers coming the other way.

This Cow was wearing a timing chip.  I assume she is in some kind of eating race.

I was getting a little tired by the time I reached the water works but I had set myself a target of getting to Damflask Reservoir and I gave myself a break and walked up the climb to the road.

From there I had to make up a new way home.  The Garmin was showing just under 5 miles and my last run was a push at 7 so I had to start getting home.  I thought I'd had 10 in my legs by now.

Even on a day like today, I am happy I can run from my front door into this.

The problem is I hate running on roads so I spent quite some time zig zagging in and out of the Loxley valley on footpaths.  Sure a map would have made this easier but I wasn't in the mood for easy... until such time as I ran out of the enthusiasm to falter on paths and then I just gave up and stuck to the roads as a good navigational tool for getting out of the valley.

The roads spat me out in a part of Stannington I did not recognise until I was tempted by the greengrocers shop.  No, best keep going, get warm.  As the rain soaked through my gloves I had to pump my fingers to keep my hands warm.  It was a useful trick from yoga, moving and breathing that distracted me from the cold and the rain and the nutters in boy-racer cars.

Finally down the Rivelin Valley road and into Valley number 2.  A nice round 10 miles and one very wet hippo.